How the Hen Saved the Rooster
Once upon a time, there lived a hen and a rooster. The hen laid eggs, and the rooster dug up grains to treat the hen. He would scratch a grain out of a hole and call the hen:"Cluck-cluck-cluck, Crested Hen, I found a grain!" One day, the rooster dug up a big bean. "Well," he thought, "this grain is too big for the hen to swallow; I'll eat it myself, I suppose." He swallowed it—and choked. The rooster fell, legs in the air, and stopped breathing. The hen ran up to him:
"What's wrong with you, Petya? Why are you lying there and not breathing?"
"Oh," groaned the rooster, "I choked on a bean..."
"How can I help you, Petya?" asked the hen.
"I need," whispered the rooster, "to get some butter to soothe my throat."
"But where can I get it?"
"From the cow."
The hen ran to the cow:
"Cow, cow, give me some butter!"
"Why do you need butter?"
"The rooster is lying there and not breathing; he choked on a bean."
"Alright," said the cow, "I'll give you some butter. But first, go to the mowers and ask for some hay."
The hen came to the mowers:
"Mowers, mowers, give me some hay!"
"Why do you need hay?"
"The hay is for the cow. The cow will give me butter. The butter is for the rooster, because the rooster is lying there and not breathing; he choked on a bean."
The mowers said:
"Go to the baker and ask for some pies. We'll eat the pies, and then we'll mow the hay."
The hen went to the baker:
"Baker, baker, give me some pies!"
"Why do you need pies?"
"The pies are for the mowers. The mowers will mow the hay. The hay is for the cow. The cow will give me butter. The butter is for the rooster, because the rooster is lying there and not breathing; he choked on a bean."
The baker said:
"Run to the forest and bring some firewood so I can bake the pies."
The hen ran to the forest and brought back firewood.
The baker baked the pies.
The hen took the pies to the mowers. The mowers ate the pies and mowed the hay.
The hen brought the hay to the cow.
The cow ate the hay and gave the hen some butter.
The hen brought the butter to the rooster.
The rooster soothed his throat with the butter and swallowed the bean.
He swallowed it and began to crow merrily across the yard:
"Cock-a-doodle-doo! Crested Hen, you're a hero!" And that's the end of the tale.
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